LIGHTHOUSE COUNSELING, PLLC

How do I know if I need counseling?
If you feel stuck with an issue about past, or present, if this does affect your daily functioning, job, and relationships, or if you find yourself unable to set an attainable goal for your future, you can benefit from counseling.
How Do I know if I have depression?
We all have ups and downs, and bad days and good days, but one is diagnosed with depression, when severity and duration of symptoms are clinically significant and affects one's level of functioning. If you have been experiencing sadness, irritability, lack of motivation, energy, loss of appetite, weight changes, too much or too little sleep that lasted a while, ....you can benefit from seeking professional help.
I feel anxious and stressed out,...how do I know if that's not normal?
Does your stress and excessive worries affect your sleep? Does it affect your day to day functiong? Are they disabling you? If you feel stagnant, unable to move on, if you desire to change, to overcome obstacles, to solve issues that hinder your growth, counseling can be the treatment of choice for you.
What's your role in counseling?
As your counselor/therapist, I will act as a teacher, guide, and a mentor. My goal is to teach you new strategies and coping skills to solve current issues you are struggling with, and to help you gain confidence and independence to resolve future issues life may bring on.
What can I get out of counseling?
In this journey that we'll begin together, I will help you reach your potential, to find new directions and goals for your life, which lead to growth, recovery, happiness, fulfillment, and peace within.
What's my role in counseling?
In your role as a client, you have to be active, honest, and committed. Our relationship is one of the equality and mutual respect, and in order to succeed and get the outcome we want "growth, recovery, and peace within" we both have to be equally committed to the processes. If you are not ready to commit yourself to the work that counseling requires, change can not happen. Your readiness is the most important element in the outcome and success of the counseling processes.
How do I know if I need medication?
Once I do complete an initial assessment, I will be able to tell you if you need medication, or counseling alone will be enough to resolve the presenting problem.
Do you accept insurance? Why?
Not directly, but I do provide a receipt, and clients often get reimburesed from their insurance company. The main reason I do not accept insurance is to maintain your confidentiality, and to maintain your best interest in mind as mandated by American Counseling Association/ACA ethical standards. During most recent revision of ACA codes of ethics (2005), it was acknowledged that information and diagnosis written in a client's file can have longlasting impact. To follow our ACA codes of ethics and "Do not harm" philosophy, I prefer a therapeutic environment where only you and I decide what would be the best course of treatment for you and to keep your confidential information away from third parties/providers. Most insurance companies require details of our sessions to be given out as a condition to permit initiation and continuation of therapy. Other reasons are that when insurance companies pay for your therapy sessions, they approve for certain number of sessions and treatment style, length and frequency and sometimes even style/techniques used in therapy based on the diagnosis given. Sometimes what you may have been diagnosed with is not what they agree to pay for, and this enforces therapists to change their initial diagnosis in order to get approval for therapy sessions you may need. Changing a diagnosis on purpose is direct violation of ACA ethical standards. All said, my ethical standards prohibit me from labeling you with a mental illness or a diagnosis you may not have just in order to get paid or get the number of sessions you may need. Therefore, I have chosen not to join providers' network/insurance companies. However, if you still choose to use your insurance as source of payment, I provide you with a superbill at the end of each month and you can mail it to your insurance company for reimbursement. I recommend you to call your insurance company first to ensure out of network reimbursement. "Refer to: New Mandates and Imperatives in the Revised Codes of Ethics. Journal of Counseling & Development, Spring 2009, Volume 87, 241-255"
What if I need help, but do not have insurance or money to afford treatment?
In that case, you maybe eligible for AHCCCS, and may call Value Options and ask for assistance. There are also other agencies, such as Terros at 602-685-6000 that provides counseling and subtsance abuse treatment free of charge for individuals who have AHCCCS. Also refer to topic of the month for information on free support group.
What are your office hours?
Office hours are 10 AM- 5 PM, last appointment is 4:00PM. Before and after hours and Saturday appointments are available for those who need flexible time due to their work schedule,but at a higher charge.
What are your credentials?
I am a licensed professional counselor,since Feb 1, 2006, and also a Licensed independent substance abuse counselor, since July 1, 2004. I have been in private practice, since Jan 2005. Prior to private practice, I worked for a state agency/Terros between 2002-2005, while working on the licensing requirements in the state of Arizona.
What are your specialities?
I am specialized in treatment of dual diagnosis (mood disorders and addiction), and have a very good success rate with clients with anxiety and panic disorders, relationships issues, those who need career guidance, parenting assistance, and I have good experience in working with troubled teens.
How are your counseling services differet from coaching?
First, coaching is not regulated by any governmental agency, and you have no assurance of the qualification of the person you are seeing. Second, in order to become an LPC/licensed Professional Counselor, one must complete a masters degree (at least 48 graduate credit hours in specific courses), complete an internship, complete up to two years post graduate supervised experience, and pass a comprehensive exam. This process may take anywhere between 4-6 yrs before a counselor is able to obtain a license to practice independently. A coach however, as required by the International Coaching Federation must complete a minimum of 60 clock hours training (equivalent of a 4-credit-hour college course)and passing a test to become an associate coach. Most importantly, the communication between a licensed counselor and a client are legally privileged and confidential(with few exceptions), and can not be obtained by anyone including criminal, legal or civil systems. When a coach is not licensed by the state he or she is practicing, this is not the case, and the information you share is not protected by the state laws, and your confidentiality could be compromised.